Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $576 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $896 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,216 in Wote, rent included.

Medellin costs about 76% more than Wote, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Wote 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.03 KES 392

96.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$38.31 KES 4,967

-13.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.66 KES 863

8.56%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.59 KES 206

2.52%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.38 KES 49.10

186.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.22 KES 28.37

231.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.11 KES 274

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.34 KES 303

38.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.80 KES 103

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.53 KES 68.7

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.45 KES 188

-8.97%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.37 KES 177

65.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$4.71 KES 610

-7.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.11 KES 792

-3.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.68 KES 737

51.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.06 KES 397

-26.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.08 KES 140

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.08 KES 270

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.64 KES 82.7

121.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.52 KES 67.5

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.17 KES 151

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.65 KES 83.7

36.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.52 KES 68.0

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.15 KES 408

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.56 KES 1,499

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.19 KES 285

-47.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.70 KES 350

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.58 KES 204

-10.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.56 KES 202

21.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.88 KES 373

169.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.51 KES 195

-33.11%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.0K KES 2.9M

-20.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

32.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$34.26 KES 4,442

144.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.61 KES 2,154

-43.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.98 KES 5,184

-39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.02 KES 780

-31.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$155 KES 20.1K

100.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,059 KES 1.0M

-25.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$11.84 KES 1,535

390.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$7.87 KES 1,020

313.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$19.43 KES 2,519

412.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$23.57 KES 3,056

360.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$172 KES 22.3K

180.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$197 KES 25.5K

92.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$770 KES 99.8K

8.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$264 KES 34.3K

173.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Wote: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $172 in Wote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Wote. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $172 in Wote – so Wote wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $865 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Wote. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wote. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.